A Trusted Lyft & Uber Accident Lawyer — Costa Mesa, CA

Ride-sharing companies like Uber and Lyft are abundant in the city of Costa Mesa and throughout Southern California. Unfortunately, car accidents happen even with the safest drivers. If you have been a victim of an Uber or Lyft accident due to someone else’s negligence, such as the rideshare driver, The Law Offices of Daniel Kim has you covered.

Our Uber and Lyft accident lawyer in Costa Mesa can help you seek financial compensation in a rideshare accident claim. Our experienced legal team can help you fight against the billion-dollar rideshare industry and hold the at-fault party accountable. Our Costa Mesa personal injury lawyer Daniel Kim serves clients all throughout Orange County, CA. Call us at (714) 790-3519 or message us online to schedule your free consultation.

No Win. No Fee. Guaranteed.

We offer our legal services FREE until we win your case. As part of our contingency fee arrangement, we never ask clients to pay upfront legal fees until we are successful in your claim. Start your claims process with a no-risk, free case evaluation with an attorney today.

Were You Injured in a Lyft or Uber Accident in Costa Mesa?

If you were injured in an Orange County rideshare accident, you need an experienced lawyer to protect your legal right to compensation. Daniel Kim is an award-winning Uber and Lyft accident lawyer serving clients in Costa Mesa and Orange County, CA. An expert in car accident cases, Daniel and his legal team can help you secure maximum compensation while holding the at-fault driver liable.

Here are more reasons to hire Daniel Kim as your rideshare attorney for your California car accident claim:

• 99% Success Rate
• Over $250,000,000 Recovered 
• Experts in Uber and Lyft Ridesharing Laws
• Negotiate Aggressively with Insurance Company
• Thoroughly Investigate Your Case and Gather Evidence 
• Legal Team Available 24/7 
• Connections with Top Medical Providers in Southern California
• Maximize Value of Your Settlement

If you are unable to visit our office in person, our legal team will travel to you. We never ask clients to sign written or binding contracts until we review the details of your case. Request your free consultation today.

How Can a Lyft or Uber Accident Lawyer Help Me?

The aftermath of a car accident is stressful and overwhelming. Since our law firm deals with personal injury cases on a daily basis, we understand the hardships victims face. The stack of medical bills, aggressive insurance adjusters calling you, and a wrecked car can make recovering from an accident very difficult. This is why hiring an experienced Lyft and Uber accident attorney is very important. Your lawyer will take over all communication with the other driver and insurance company. You will also receive treatment for your injuries and a dedicated legal team available 24/7.

Don’t accept the insurance company’s initial settlement offer. They will use various intimidation tactics to get you to settle quickly, but accepting the first offer means getting less than you deserve. Our attorney can help you get the maximum out of your compensation and will take your case to court if necessary.

There is a time limit when it comes to filing a car accident claim. Under California’s statute of limitations, car accident victims have two years from the date of their accident to file a claim. Reach out to a rideshare attorney as soon as possible to stay ahead of the deadline.

Can I Recover Compensation for a Rideshare Accident?

Every personal injury case is unique, which means every settlement value will vary. Typically in a personal injury claim, accident victims can claim two types of damages: economic and non-economic damages. These damages are meant to compensate victims for losses suffered due to the accident, such as medical bills, lost wages, and property damage.

Daniel Kim and his legal team will build a strong car accident case to get you maximum compensation for:

• Lost wages – any past or future earnings due to missed hours at work
• Property damage – any damage to your car or personal property
• Current and future medical expenses – hospital bills, emergency room fees, treatment 
• Pain and suffering – physical pain, mental anguish, PTSD
• Permanent physical injuries – scarring and disfigurement
• Emotional distress – anxiety, depression, insomnia
• Wrongful death – death of a person from a negligent or wrongful act 

Catastrophic injuries generally increase the value of a personal injury claim. If you lost a loved one in a rideshare accident, the surviving family members can sue for wrongful death to recover losses associated with funeral expenses, lost inheritance money, and loss of companionship. Speak with an experienced Orange County personal injury lawyer today about what damages you qualify for.

What Are Common Types of Rideshare Accidents?

Unlike taxi drivers, rideshare drivers do not receive special training before they are allowed to use the app. While they are required to have a clean driving record and undergo a background check, a rideshare driver can still get into a car accident like any other driver. Below are some of the most common causes of rideshare accidents in Orange County, CA:

Distracted Driving

80% of all car accidents in California are caused by drivers who are distracted or inattentive. Since rideshare drivers rely heavily on their smartphones to accept rides, the risk of an accident is much higher. Car accident victims can suffer from minor to serious injuries like traumatic brain injuries.

Fatigue

In California, Uber and Lyft drivers are allowed to drive up to 12 hours in a single day. Long and late hours on the road can lead to exhaustion, which increases the likelihood of getting into a rear-end collision with a drowsy driver.

Inexperience

Research shows that ridesharing drivers do not have as much experience as taxi drivers. To protect passengers and others on the road, Uber requires drivers to be over the age of 21, while Lyft mandates that drivers be 25 and older.

Driving Under the Influence

In 2019, California reported 949 total alcohol-impaired driving fatalities. Drivers who operate their vehicles under the influence of drugs or alcohol have significantly less reaction time and are prone to exaggerated behavior. Generally, Uber and Lyft do not allow drivers to use the app who have a DUI conviction from the past 10 years.

Reckless driving

There are cases where Lyft and Uber drivers drive recklessly by running red lights or ignoring traffic laws. Like with any car accident, this increases the chance of a serious or even fatal accident with a motorist, pedestrian, or cyclist.

Speeding

Speeding is one of the leading causes of fatal car accidents in the U.S. Uber and Lyft drivers are paid by the trip, which may make them want to complete a ride quickly to get a new passenger. Speeding increases the risk of catastrophic and serious injuries in a crash.

Does Lyft or Uber Compensate for Accidents?

If you have been involved in an Uber or Lyft accident, you may be entitled to file a claim against either the driver’s personal insurance or against the ridesharing company directly.

Uber and Lyft provide third-party liability insurance, but only under specified circumstances or “periods” based on the status of the driver at the time. Here are Lyft and Uber’s policies regarding coverage:

Period 0

When the driver app is off, only the driver’s personal insurance policy applies. In California, all drivers are required to have a “15/30/5” minimum of insurance coverage: $15,000 in bodily injury per person, $30,000 in bodily injury per accident, and $5,000 in property damage.

Period 1

When the driver is available or waiting for a ride request, Lyft and Uber’s third-party automobile liability coverage will be your primary coverage during this period.

• Up to $50,000 in bodily injury coverage per person
• Up to $100,000 in bodily injury coverage per accident
• Up to $30,000 in property damage per Lyft accident; $25,000 per Uber accident

Lyft will also maintain $200,000 of excess liability coverage during Period 1.

Period 2 & 3

When the driver is en route to pick up riders and during trips, Uber and Lyft maintain the following coverage:

• $1 million in third-party liability coverage
• Uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage
• Collision and comprehensive coverage – up to actual cash value of car with a $2,500 deductible

Is Lyft or Uber Liable for Their Drivers’ Negligence?

Yes, but only under certain circumstances. For the most part, Lyft and Uber do not claim any responsibility for accidents. This is because Uber and Lyft drivers are classified as independent contractors, not regular full-time employees. However, if you can prove that the rideshare company was negligent in screening a driver, you may have grounds to sue the company.

As with all personal injury claims, negligence plays a major role. In order to file a successful rideshare accident claim in California, you must prove the rideshare driver or other driver behaved negligently and caused the accident. The elements of negligence are as follows:

• The driver had a duty of care to operate their vehicle in a safe manner
• The driver breached the duty of care by speeding, looking at their phone, etc
• The negligent act caused the accident
• The victim suffered monetary damages

If you get into an accident with a rideshare driver, you may be found partially at fault. Fortunately, California follows pure comparative negligence laws, which state that all parties involved are eligible to recover compensation according to their percentage of fault. Speak with our Costa Mesa rideshare attorney to learn more about proving liability in a car accident case.

What Should I Do as a Passenger in a Rideshare Accident?

Anytime a serious car accident occurs, you should always dial 911 and seek immediate medical treatment. As a passenger in a rideshare accident, you are covered under Uber and Lyft’s third-party insurance, but you should still take certain precautions to keep yourself safe. Here is what you need to do after being involved in an Uber or Lyft crash:

1. Call the Costa Mesa police so they can take your statement and create a police report.
2. Talk with any witnesses and exchange info.
3. Get insurance info, drivers license, and contact info from the rideshare driver or other driver.
4. Take videos and photos of the car accident scene and your injuries.
5. See a doctor immediately and get medical treatment.
6. Report the crash to Uber or Lyft. 
7. Seek legal representation with an experienced car accident lawyer in Orange County.

As a passenger, it is very unlikely that you will be found at fault in a car crash. However, the insurance company will try to minimize your claim. It’s always best to speak with a qualified car accident attorney to find the best course of action anytime you are involved in a car accident.

Lyft and Uber Rideshare Car Accident Statistics

Uber drivers completed 7.6 billion trips in 2022, a 20% increase from the previous year and the most completed trips in the company’s history. Similarly, Lyft’s active riders increased to 20.3 million in the same year. Given these massive numbers, it comes as no surprise that the rideshare companies were involved in serious car accidents.

According to Uber’s 2019 to 2020 safety report, there were 91 fatal Uber accidents, resulting in 101 deaths. 32% of the collisions involved speeding, while 23% involved alcohol. In Lyft’s first-ever safety report, 105 people died in fatal car accidents.

Dangerous Roads and Intersections

Bristol Street and Newport Boulevard are two of Costa Mesa’s busiest roads. Additionally, the Costa Mesa Freeway (SR-55) and Interstate 405 (I-405) see frequent car accidents. Motorists, pedestrians, and cyclists should be careful of these dangerous roads and intersections in Costa Mesa, California:

• Bristol St.
• Newport Blvd.
• Harbor Blvd.
• Newport Blvd. and 19th St.
• Harbor Blvd. and Adams Ave.
• Baker St. and Fairview Rd.
• Harbor Blvd. and Sunflower Ave.
• Pomona Ave. and Victoria St.
• Del Mar Ave. and Newport Blvd.
• Victoria St. and Pomona Ave.
• Harbor Blvd. and Gisler Ave.
• 1-405 & Fairview Rd.
• SR-55

Contact Our Lyft and Uber Accident Lawyer in Costa Mesa

Orange County car accident attorney Daniel Kim can help you or someone you know who was injured in a rideshare accident. We can help you hold the rideshare driver or company responsible while ensuring you take home maximum compensation for your medical bills and other out-of-pocket expenses. Our Costa Mesa law firm is available 24/7 to discuss your case in a completely free, no-risk consultation.

Our car accident and injury law firm works assists clients with personal injury cases in the Costa Mesa area and throughout Orange County including: Aliso Viejo, Anaheim, Brea, Buena Park, Cypress, Dana Point, Fountain Valley, Fullerton, Garden Grove, Huntington Beach, Irvine, La Habra, La Palma, Laguna Beach, Laguna Hills, Laguna Niguel, Laguna Woods, Lake Forest, Los Alamitos, Mission Viejo, Newport Beach, Orange, Placenta, Rancho Santa Margarita, San Clemente, San Juan Capistrano, Santa Ana, Seal Beach, Stanton, Tustin, Villa Park, Westminster, and Yorba Linda.

Other Practice Areas We Specialize In

Directions to Our Costa Mesa Office

The Law Offices of Daniel Kim
Address: 611 Anton Blvd #1000, Costa Mesa, CA 92626
Phone: (714) 790-3519